Method Validation and Evaluation of Safrole Persistence in Cowpea Beans Using Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatography

Bioinsecticides are regarded as important alternatives for controlling agricultural pests. However, few studies have determined the persistence of these compounds in stored grains. This study aimed at optimizing and validating a fast and effective method for extraction and quantification of residues of safrole (the main component of Piper hispidinervum essential oil) in cowpea beans. It also sought to assess the persistence of this substance in the grains treated by contact and fumigation. The proposed method used headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC/FID). Factors such as temperature, extraction time and type of fiber were assessed to maximize the performance of the extraction technique. The performance of the method was appraised via the parameters selectivity, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, and accuracy. The LOD and LOQ of safrole were 0.0057 and 0.019 μg kg⁻¹, respectively and the determination coefficient (R²) was >0.99. The relative recovery ranged from 99.26 to 104.85, with a coefficient of variation <15%. The validated method was applied to assess the persistence of safrole residue in grains, where concentrations ranged from 1.095 to 0.052 µg kg⁻¹ (contact) and from 2.16 to 0.12 µg kg ⁻¹ (fumigation). The levels measured up from the fifth day represented less than 1% of the initial concentration, proving that safrole have low persistence in cowpea beans, thus being safe for bioinsecticide use. Thus, this work is relevant not only for the extraction method developed, but also for the possible use of a natural insecticide in pest management in stored grains.     

Size Characterization of Fibres and Fines in Hardwood Kraft Pulps

The aim of this work was the characterisation of the primary components of papermaking pulp, i.e. fibres and fines. Although it included the measurement of fibre dimensions, this work was mainly devoted to sizing fines, applying methods other than those frequently used for pulp quality control. Therefore, in addition to the Kajaani method, image analysis, laser diffraction and the electrical sensing zone method were also utilised. A chemical pulp was tested before and after laboratory refining. Finally, an evaluation was made of the handsheet strength and optical properties prepared with these pulps, with and without fines, in order to study the effect of the beating process and of the fines.     

Calculating Shape Factors from Particle Sizing Data

It is well established that particle size and shape substantially influence the bulk properties of powdered materials. Although these characteristics are closely interrelated, the tendency has been to analyse the particle size independently from particle shape. The aim of this work was the assessment of particle shape through particle sizing data. For this purpose, three different particle shape materials – glass beads (spherical), crushed glass (moderately irregular) and mica (lamellar) – were tested, employing four particle sizers. The shape factor selected was the Wadell's sphericity, which was evaluated utilizing distinct equations. The comparison of the results reveals problems arising from the use of approximations rather than more fundamental equations.     

Multiple solutions for a Schrödinger–Bopp–Podolsky system with positive potentials

In this paper, we prove existence of solutions for a Schrödinger–Bopp–Podolsky system under positive potentials. We use the Ljusternick–Schnirelmann and Morse Theories to get multiple solutions with a priori given “interaction energy.”     

A singular Liouville equation on planar domains

We show the existence of a solution for an equation where the nonlinearity is logarithmically singular at the origin, namely, $-\mathrm{\Delta }u=(\log u+f(u)){\chi }_{\{u>0\}}$ in $\mathrm{\Omega }\subset {\mathbb{R}}^2$ with Dirichlet boundary condition. The function f has exponential growth, which can be subcritical or critical with respect to the Trudinger–Moser inequality. We study the energy functional $I_{\epsilon }$ corresponding to the perturbed equation $-\mathrm{\Delta }u+g_{\epsilon }(u)=f(u)$, where $g_{\epsilon }$ is well defined at 0 and approximates $-\log u$. We show that $I_{\epsilon }$ has a critical point $u_{\epsilon }$ in $H_0^1(\mathrm{\Omega })$, which converges to a legitimate nontrivial nonnegative solution of the original problem as $\epsilon \to 0$. We also investigate the problem with $f(u)$ replaced by $\lambda f(u)$, when the parameter $\lambda >0$ is sufficiently large.